Feeding the twins at the same time

My baby girls are 9 months and 2 weeks. When I don't have help,especially during bedtime, I have always only been able to feed one a time. Therefore, feedings have always been stressful for me and the twin who is waiting, especially if they are hungry and sleepy at the same time. It just breaks my heart to see one of them in distress while waiting. The problem is that they wouldn't feed unless in they are swaddled in my arms. Any tips to break them out of this habit? How do you mommies bottlefeed your twins?

 

I sit on the floor, with my back against the couch and cushions supporting my bottom and back. I put them both on half moon cushions facing me, in between my legs (my legs stretched out either side of them). I also use a bottle feeder for one and a rolled up receiving blanket or towel for the other. I've done this since they've both been on bottles (at 4months), prior to that I was breastfeeding one, and bottle feeding the other (now that was a contortionist move I tell you!)...

Here's a couple of pics on FB (I'm taking the photos so you can't see how I'm sitting but you might be able to see the grey of my trackpants on either side of them.)

Feeding 1 and Feeding 2

At night, if I have to do bedtime by myself, I sit on the bed (have lots of pillows supporting me), one leg tucked under, and both on pillows facing me, again I use a bottle feeder and receiving blanket.


You CAN do it! They will protest at first maybe but they'll get used to it and it's not long before they'll be holding their own bottles (well that's what I'm hoping for!).. and there are days when they are just too interested in everything else around them and you kinda have to move with them to keep them drinking.. it's funny really but oh so much easier, you'll wonder why you didn't do it before!!

GL!

 

I did one of two things:
I had 2 boppy pillows and I would prop the babies on them, facing me. I would get between them and hold the bottle for each of them.
I would also put them in a baby swing and do the same.
I started feeding this way very early on, because I was on my own during the night and most of the day since my DH was working the midnight shift and would sleep during the day.

 

I also rolled up towels, blanket or any soft toys that worked when they both on pillows next to each other.
With my reflux baby , I burped her first ...

 

This may sound confusing so bear with me.

I sat very close to the arm of my couch, which was an overstuffed arm. If your couch arm is smaller, add a pillow beside it. My right arm rested along the arm of the couch, with one baby sitting in the crook of my arm and the couch arm. I held the bottle with my right hand, baby was facing outwards (towards the tv).

Baby #2 I laid on a pillow beside my left leg, with their head close to my knee and their feet against the back of the couch. Again, overstuffed couch, so I just removed the back pillows so there was plenty of room back there, no chance of them kicking themselves off. When they got longer, I rotated them so their head was near my left thigh, and their body and legs was at a right angle to me, along the length of the couch. I had their head propped a bit on a pillow or folded blanket, and held that bottle with my left hand.


If you can figure that out! I've also put them both in boppies, one on each side of me, and held the bottles! Just experiment and find what's going to work for you!

 

I put them both in bouncy seats and sit between them. Now that they're older, when one is done (since one eats so much faster), I let him or her play while I finish up the other. It has worked since about 2 months (and they are 9 months now).

 

Check out this awesome twin pillow! Great for nursing AND side by side bottle feedings! Amazingly priced, for what it is, and I LOOOOOVE mine!! Plus they can use it to play and sleep and do all kinds of things... so it will last you for a few years!

http://www.twinnursingpillow.org/

If I could figure out how to insert a picture, I'd show you a picture of me, using the pillow to nurse, lol.

 

This is exactly what I did!